Plasma ferritin concentration in relation to vitamin A and E status of children with severe oedematous malnutrition

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary The association between plasma ferritin concentration and vitamin A and E status was studied in 17 children aged 15–72 months with severe oedematous malnutrition. The controls were 10 children of similar age who were apparently well and with no obvious signs of clinical malnutrition. Plasma ferritin concentration in the patients was significantly higher than that in the control children. Conversely, the plasma concentrations of β-carotene, α-tocopherol and retinol in patients were significantly lower than those in plasma of control children. The median (interquartile range) plasma α tocopherol concentration of patients, 6.03 (5.29–9.50) μmol/1, is below the threshold of vitamin E deficiency (11.6 μmol/l). Fifteen of 17 (88%) malnourished patients were found to have plasma tocopherol concentrations below the normal threshold. However, all the patients had a tocopherol: cholesterol ratio >2.22, indicating adequate vitamin E status for the level of cholesterol present in plasma. Twelve of 17 patients (70.5%) had plasma retinol concentration per se.

This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit: